Resources

The Five EDI Developmental Domains

Physical Health and Well-being

Measures motor development, energy levels, preparedness for the school day and restroom independence. E.g., Can the child hold a pencil? Is the child able to manipulate objects? Is the child on time for school?

Number of items in questionnaire: 13

Social Competence

Measures behavior in structured environments including cooperation, respect for others and socially responsible behavior. E.g., Is the child able to follow class routines? Is the child self-confident? Is the child eager to read a new book?

Number of items in questionnaire: 26

Emotional Maturity

Measures behaviors in less formal environments focusing on helping others, tolerance and demonstrating empathy. E.g., Does the child comfort a child who is crying or upset? Does the child help clean up a mess?

Number of items in questionnaire: 30

Language and Cognitive Development

Measures an interest in books, reading, language skills, literacy and math-related activities. E.g., Is the child interested in reading and writing? Can the child count and recognize numbers? Is the child able to read simple sentences?

Number of items in questionnaire: 26

Communication Skills and General Knowledge

Measures the ability to clearly communicate one’s own needs, participate in storytelling, and general interest in the world. E.g., Can the child tell a story? Can the child communicate with adults and children? Can the child take part in imaginative play?

Number of items in questionnaire: 8

EDI Developmental Subdomains

When reviewing the subdomain data, it is important to keep the following considerations in mind:

When looking at the subdomain maps, it is very important to understand that, unlike the domain maps that are norm referenced, these maps do not reflect concentrations of vulnerability. Instead, the subdomain maps are criterion referenced and reflect percentages that fall below a cutoff established by the EDI’s publisher.

The subdomain analysis categorizes the EDI data as: “meeting few/no developmental expectations,” “meeting some developmental expectations,” and “meeting all/almost all developmental expectations.” These categories were established by the developers of the EDI at McMaster University’s Offord Centre for Child Studies.

These EDI results should not be viewed as a sole indicator of whether a percentage of the children in this community are or are not meeting all/almost all developmental expectations.

Since they are determined using different procedures, the percentages for the subdomains do not correspond to the percentages for the categories used at the domain level (“vulnerable,” “at risk,” and “on track”).

The Illinois State Board of Education has established Kindergarten Learning Standards and is using an individual assessment, the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) to gauge kindergarteners’ school readiness.